Interview tips

Arrive on time:

Plan to arrive 10 to 15 minutes early for the interview. Do a practice run so that you know the route and leave plenty of time for any potential traffic jams etc.

Those that arrive late for an interview without extremely good reason are rarely offered a job. If you are running late please call us so that we can inform the client accordingly.

How you present yourself:

The clothes you decide to wear to your interview are a statement about yourself. You are trying to make the very best first impression and you need to dress in a way that suggests you are commercially aware and ready for business. It’s always better to dress conservatively. First impressions last!

Interview Preparation:

Preparing for the interview is absolutely essential. It is very likely that you will be asked what you know about the company so researching the company by visiting their website is essential.

Knowledge of the company will bode well at the interview stage and will impress the interviewer. Know what their products and/or services are, how big the company is, roughly what their annual revenue is, know the company's history etc.

Read and understand the job description thoroughly before the interview. It is also a good idea to read through your CV prior to the interview so you are familiar with dates of employment etc.

It is important that you prepare questions for the interview as this will encourage conversation and will indicate you have shown an interest in the company and the position you are being interviewed for.

Think positively about why the role appeals to you and why you think you should be considered for this position and prepare yourself to talk about this at the interview.

The Interview:

Try to interact with the interviewer by keeping as much eye contact as possible. This indicates you are taking an interest in what is being discussed.

Conversation is very important when being interviewed so try to avoid one word answers.

Interview Questions:

The interview may consist of competency based questions such as:

Give an example of when you had to deal with an upset customer or colleague and how you resolved the situation.

Give an example when you had to go above and beyond the call of duty in order to exceed customer and/or colleague expectations.

Give an example when you had to prioritise your workload in order to complete a long list of tasks you were set.

What are your strengths?

What are your weaknesses? - Think about the goals that you have for your next career move and handle this challenging question by taking your weaknesses (whatever they may be) and turning them into strengths.

Try to be as specific as possible when answering these questions and think about the key competencies required for the job. If you encounter difficult questions try not to panic and ask them to rephrase the question.

Some other common interview questions are as follows:

You have a good job, why would you want to leave your present employer?

What don’t you like about your present job and company?

What has been your most notable achievement in your present job?

Why do you want to work for us? Where do you expect your career to be in three years’ time?

What attracts you to this particular position?

What do you know about our company?

It is best not to ask about salary, benefits and the hours of work unless of course it is raised by the person interviewing you.

Interview Closure:

When the interview comes to a close it is very important to reiterate your interest to the interviewer and that you are keen to progress things to the next stage.

Shake hands, retain eye contact and thank the interviewer for taking the time to meet you.

Interview Feedback:

Contacting Copperfield Recruitment after the interview is an important part of the interview process going forward. We’d like to know how you got on and establish whether you’re interested in the opportunity you have been interviewed for.

It also gives us the opportunity to discuss your suitability with our Client, further making clear your interest and enthusiasm.

It’s nice to be able to discuss the positives and if necessary, we may be able to help you with any of the answers you’ve given that you’re not entirely happy with!

Remember we are here to help!Should you have any questions or would like advice then please do not hesitate to contact us.